2-1 masacre

[Bruce Wayne]

How was that 2-1 squeaky bum time at the end?

As they say, someone is going to get a real hiding soon,

 

[Revolution]

Because having played so well in the first half, we played a lot less well in the second half.

 

[Fanny magnet]

They were all over us for most of the second half but didn't create much and we could have scored 3 more on the break

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

How was that 2-1 squeaky bum time at the end?

As they say, someone is going to get a real hiding soon,

Not really, only clear chances we had was the Sharp header and Clarke 1 on 1, and maybe Brooke's that he fluffed.. We played okay for for 25 min in 1st half and opening 10 mins of 2nd half. Other than that it was a very poor performance by our standards in the 2nd half with a lower chance creation than normal.

On to the next game.

 

[Jon Bon II]

Can't fathom why we resorted to hoofing it when we'd played it so well on the floor in the first half. Especially when Brooks had just come on as well.

If anyone kept hearing that loud siren in the south stand in the second half, that was Pinchy 's hoof-o-meter going slightly bonkers.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Not really, only clear chances we had was the Sharp header and Clarke 1 on 1, and maybe Brooke's that he fluffed.. We played okay for for 25 min in 1st half and opening 10 mins of 2nd half. Other than that it was a very poor performance by our standards in the 2nd half with a lower chance creation than normal.

On to the next game.

I'm booing you, was so easy, could have had 2 just after HT.

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

I'm booing you, was so easy, could have had 2 just after HT.

But we didn't, and hung on.

I'm confident we will be promoted. Just making an accurate and honest assessment that we were poor today.

Good sign that even when we are well below par we still win.

 

[ScottishBlade93]

Thought we were excellent first half. If we carried that performance through to the second it could easily have been 3/4. Onwards and upwards, tough game away at Leeds next friday.

UTB

 

[Toronto Blade]

They were just snuffed out their only shot on target went in.
I would be very upset if it was the Blades that were 2 goals down and they put in a performance like Reading did.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

But we didn't, and hung on.

Dat my point pal - how was it so close at the end. For the record I thought it was the most controlled performance this season (for 80 mins), far better than Ipswich game.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Funny old game. Reading suddenly woke up when they got their goal .

 

[8lade]

I was thinking chalk and cheese between the halves, after we scored our second I couldn't believe this was the team I support! Second half different kettle o fish, I'm assuming this was down to conditions...

 

[Large Mendonca]

I thought Reading resorted to some naughty stuff second half, and for some reason it knocked us out of our stride.

Think it's pushing it though to say they dominated 2nd half - they had some possession and created one real chance from it (the goal). We should have even snuffed that one out - Blackman quite flat-footed for it, and someone switched off at the back post (not sure who). We were hardly hanging on

 

[Antonb]

where is this rubbish 2nd half come from, we dominated the game for 75 mins out of 90. They didn't deserve anything else from the game. They had the last 15 , even then we nearly scored on the break twice. What about that fantastic save there keeper pulled off which would have made it 3 nil and game over? Some people on here just carnt wait to have a go.

 

[silver blade]

How was that 2-1 squeaky bum time at the end?

As they say, someone is going to get a real hiding soon,

Did there goal cost us second place?

 

[United Aren't Back.]

They were all over us for most of the second half but didn't create much and we could have scored 3 more on the break

They were utter wank both halves.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

If Duffy was going to go off then Lundstram was the choice not Brooks. You can't replace a hard working midfielder with a good attacking player who still has a lot to learn about defensive duties. We went to a 4-3-3. With Lundstram in place of Duffy and the midfield remaining strong then we could have brought on Brooks for Sharp.

IMO of course

 

[yorkshirecoast]

First half we were brilliant - totally dominated. Still looked the better side until the last 15 mins but thought we then stopped being as positive and became careless. Overall we were very good though and got the win we deserved. The score line flattered them.

 

[Karaoke Blade]

I think we actually got a little over complacent in the second half as Reading were so poor at doing the basics like keeping the ball on the pitch and passing to a player on their own team.
That said, we did seem to tire dramatically in the last ten minutes which allowed them to come on to us more. The sub Swift made a big difference.
How anyone can say we were poor is simply ridiculous.

 

[Snowman]

If Duffy was going to go off then Lundstram was the choice not Brooks. You can't replace a hard working midfielder with a good attacking player who still has a lot to learn about defensive duties. We went to a 4-3-3. With Lundstram in place of Duffy and the midfield remaining strong then we could have brought on Brooks for Sharp.

IMO of course

This in its entirety. Lost shape and work rate when Duff went off and it looked like 5 2 3 and suddenly there's an overload for Reading. CW has to then bring on Lundstram to stiffen up the midfield and allow Brooks up top where he should have been in the first place instead of Billy. Too clever Trevor again. Brooks is no Duffy either in experience, work rate or positional sense.

 

[GuangzhouBlade]

If Duffy was going to go off then Lundstram was the choice not Brooks. You can't replace a hard working midfielder with a good attacking player who still has a lot to learn about defensive duties. We went to a 4-3-3. With Lundstram in place of Duffy and the midfield remaining strong then we could have brought on Brooks for Sharp.

IMO of course

Couldn't agree more for all Brooks attacking talent, he offers next to nothing defensively and still seems naive in terms of his positioning. Brooks has got a great career ahead of him but is physically weak, perhaps why he is so quick and nimble? For me Lundstram should have come on for Sharp and perhaps Laffs for Duffy or even Donaldson if we we were going to clear long. Still 3 points is all that matters UTB.

 

[Davalon]

Honestly thought we would regret the missed header, and when they scored I thought the equaliser was a formality.

Don't think I've seen a team dominate us so much for 15 minutes or so this season in that way.

Have to say though that as well learning to trust this team more and more, I do like results like this. There have been so many seasons when we would have thrown that away.

It's good vibes imho.

 

[blade too long]

How can anyone say they were all over us .some fans got worried the team never did.
We still created more than them in the 10 minutes they put some effort in after kicking lumps out of us and having to rest Duffy. Jamals gloves were never put under pressure. Ìt was as one sided a game as I've ever seen . They got what their performance deserved.we were at it for all 97 minutes .They huffed and puffed for 10 and even then we had e golden chances to their 0

 

[Sheffsteel]

But we didn't, and hung on.

I'm confident we will be promoted. Just making an accurate and honest assessment that we were poor today.

Good sign that even when we are well below par we still win.

Disagree, thought that for 60 minutes it was up there with our best performance of the season, we were superb playing like Barcelona.

They hardly had any shots and it was so comfortable.

When we conceded I admit that for the last 10 minutes, finally Reading looked decent.
We sat back and decided to see out the 2-1.

We were far far superior to Reading for most of the match though.

 

[Nelson1889]

This in its entirety. Lost shape and work rate when Duff went off and it looked like 5 2 3 and suddenly there's an overload for Reading. CW has to then bring on Lundstram to stiffen up the midfield and allow Brooks up top where he should have been in the first place instead of Billy. Too clever Trevor again. Brooks is no Duffy either in experience, work rate or positional sense.

Exactly this. The shape went to pot as soon as brooks came on. He's not got the discipline to sit behind the front two and goes chasing the ball which leaves us exposed. I counted at least three times where he's ran 5 yards past the man with the ball when chasing down which let them onto us with an overload.

No way knocking the kid but it's something he has to learn playing the way we do.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Not really, only clear chances we had was the Sharp header and Clarke 1 on 1, and maybe Brooke's that he fluffed.. We played okay for for 25 min in 1st half and opening 10 mins of 2nd half. Other than that it was a very poor performance by our standards in the 2nd half with a lower chance creation than normal.

On to the next game.

Disagree to some extent. We began to slide with Duffy being replaced by Brooks. Still a very tenacious performance.. Some right battlers as well as real talent.

 

[Harrisblade]

Did there goal cost us second place?

No. If we'd kept a clean sheet, Cardiff would still be in 2nd place - alphabetically

 

[United Aren't Back.]

If Duffy was going to go off then Lundstram was the choice not Brooks. You can't replace a hard working midfielder with a good attacking player who still has a lot to learn about defensive duties. We went to a 4-3-3. With Lundstram in place of Duffy and the midfield remaining strong then we could have brought on Brooks for Sharp.

IMO of course

Problems started with Duffy off, Brooks on.

 

[ljk]

Weird game.

We definitely missed Duffy the moment he left the pitch - fair play to Wilder for recognising that and putting Lundstram on. He doesn't faff about if things need changing.

It seemed out of character for us to let them start to dominate and get back into the game after controlling most of it, but it was encouraging to see how we rallied when their goal went in.

I don't think I've got blade-tinted glasses on in thinking that we definitely deserved to win.

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

Disagree to some extent. We began to slide with Duffy being replaced by Brooks. Still a very tenacious performance.. Some right battlers as well as real talent.

Yeah, Duffy leaving affected us. He's a fantastic player and we're so much better when he's playing.

I'm not doubting our effort and desire to defend and see out the win. We did that in a professional and organized manner.

Just saying we were very poor in the 2nd half, nothing wrong with saying that, its going to happen sometimes. If I were manager of that team today I'd have been very disappointed with the failure to put them to the sword and then let them get back in the game through a lack of concentration and an overall in ability to connect the first pass in possession.

Stats would also back that up:

1st Half:
59% possession
238 passes
77% pass completion
9 attempts

2nd half:
35% possession
162 passes
61% pass completion
5 attempts